Hey Joe, I'll try and describe a dumb waiter. every floor in the house has a door that open's and the small platform can move from floor to floor, like a full size elevator.
80 + year's ago the rich folk's had them in the house, and the servant's could send dinner, or what ever from floor to floor. I think they used a counterbalance sytem for the hoist. Maybe I need to check wicki for a better description. But anyway's, a rope and pulley is the simple answer. Later, Neil#2 aka doodlebug.
P.S.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumbwaiter_(elevator)